# Why "Iceberg" Lettuce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [July 7, 2025, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588 "2025-07-07T12:39:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2025, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/41 "2025-07-07T19:06:22Z")
And “cabbage lettuce” implies the existence of “non-cabbage lettuce.” Otherwise, why not just call it lettuce? – implies not only its existence, but its common use among the people saying “cabbage lettuce”. I’m sure leaf lettuces long predate the 1800’s; probably by at least a couple of millenia. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/42 "2025-07-08T14:00:18Z")
Somehow it wasn’t rebranded after 1912. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/43 "2025-07-08T14:10:47Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > > [@saje](#): > > > > Cool, crunchy, white, and not a lot of flavor. > > Perfect for a lettuce wrap (especially with some spicy meat inside) Or great in a mixed salad with cherry tomatoes, snap peas, scallions, carrots, other greens etc. The nutritional thing is overblown. Iceberg lettuce alone doesn’t have a lot of [nutrients](https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/iceberg-lettuce), but you’re not going to get a hefty % of your RDAs from other lettuces, which by themselves don’t have much to offer in terms of taste either. Add some mustard greens, Malabar spinach, purslane etc. to your salads to enhance flavor. Few foods have as satisfying a crunch as hearts of iceberg lettuce. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/44 "2025-07-08T14:53:32Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Please tell me we are gonna get to see you eat this. And maybe some canned cuitacochie. And cod liver-- in it’s own oil! I’ve missed Weird Stuff in a Can. Oooh, and let us know here. I don’t always watch your shows, but I’d certainly watch that one. > [@Mangetout](#): > > I’ve done all three of those on weird stuff in a can. > I really need to start that series up again - the next episode is #200 and I think it has to be surstromming Okay, i missed that one. Do you know offhand how i can search for it? ---
**Author:** ![TheBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@TheBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBryan)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/45 "2025-07-08T15:00:16Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The nutritional thing is overblown. It’s more than overblown. It’s flat out irrelevant. Are we all going to start eating donuts because they have more nutritional content than iceberg lettuce? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/46 "2025-07-08T15:00:39Z")
It’s called iceburg lettuce because it will grow in one, which is an important trait when gardening in the Midwest. We don’t get a big growing season here and I am a late plant starter. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/47 "2025-07-08T17:19:07Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > And “cabbage lettuce” implies the existence of “non-cabbage lettuce.” Otherwise, why not just call it lettuce? Just speculation, but lettuce varieties are today somewhat divided into ‘loose leaf’ and ‘head forming’ types (the latter being the category containing iceberg). It is possible that ‘cabbage lettuce’ meant the varieties that form tight spherical heads, like a typical cabbage. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/48 "2025-07-08T17:39:57Z")
Shredded iceberg in a sub (edit: submarine sandwich!) is amazing. I went on a Chinese lettuce (celtuce) kick earlier in the year and bought & ate about four batches. It’s cooked, very mild flavor with slight salad-lettuce aroma. Weird looking vegetable for sure. > **[This Chinese Vegetable Is Better Than Broccoli](https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/celtuce-chinese-lettuce-recipes-tips-article)** > > All you have to do is find it. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/49 "2025-07-08T18:11:48Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Just speculation, but lettuce varieties are today somewhat divided into ‘loose leaf’ and ‘head forming’ types (the latter being the category containing iceberg). It is possible that ‘cabbage lettuce’ meant the varieties that form tight spherical heads, like a typical cabbage. That was my guess also, in a post a few above the one of mine that you quoted. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > I wonder whether that was specifically for iceberg, or maybe for iceberg and other tight-heading types, to distinguish from leaf lettuces? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/50 "2025-07-08T18:34:46Z")
> [@TheBryan](#): > > It’s more than overblown. It’s flat out irrelevant. IMHO this is a significant overstatement. The vast majority of the focus on single foods as nutritional or healthy or not is overplayed. The overall pattern and complete picture is what matters. And the complete picture is made of the parts. Salads of iceberg are mostly nice neutral crunch vehicles for the yummy Blue Cheese or dressings. The lettuce has little nutritional value even on a per calorie basis. It really barely counts as food. If someone is looking to follow the overall guidance to have half your plate be vegetables and fruits and they are counting the wedge of iceberg as that? Nah. A salad with mixed darker greens, shredded cabbage, sprouts, chopped other vegetables? Has lots of nutritional value per calorie and generally travels with less heavy calorie dressing as it has lots of flavor not just crunch. It counts as food. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/51 "2025-07-08T18:56:20Z")
Sorry, I missed that, but yeah, we agree ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2025, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/52 "2025-07-08T19:10:06Z")
I miss things too! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/53 "2025-07-10T12:52:44Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Vegetable variety names get a lot weirder than ‘iceberg’. Why are these radishes called ‘French Breakfast’? They are not a thing commonly eaten for breakfast in France. We had a thread on this, don’t see it resolved anything - but I’ll just note things aren’t usually called _demonym thing_ by the people using that demonym. So them being French radishes but eaten for breakfast elsewhere makes sense. > [@"French breakfast radishes" -- do French people really eat them for breakfast?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/french-breakfast-radishes-do-french-people-really-eat-them-for-breakfast/983302): > > I’ve always wondered about that name. It they do eat them for breakfast, um… how? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/54 "2025-07-11T16:54:27Z")
I eat Iceberg lettuce for the crunch on a sandwich in a salad. I’m not looking for nutrition. The sandwich is already on whole wheat bread and loaded with protein from the meat and cheese. Salads are appetizers. Ordered with a steak abmnd sweet potato dinner. [Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients](https://www.verywellfit.com/sweet-potato-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4117290). That’s why a chef’s salad has eggs, ham, and cheese. That’s the nutrition. The lettuce adds the crunch. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2025, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/55 "2025-07-11T18:23:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Salads are appetizers. There is nothing wrong with not having salads as a meaningful part of the nutrition of a meal. Having lettuce as texture to offset the actual food, whatever value it has or doesn’t have. But some of us do sometimes have salads as food providing nutrient value. Or care about the flavor more than the texture in a particular use case. Iceberg fails there. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2025, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/56 "2025-07-11T19:37:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > That’s why a chef’s salad has eggs, ham, and cheese. That’s the nutrition. The lettuce adds the crunch. Your system does also need vitamins, flavonoids, and fiber. A good salad’s going to add a lot of those. (A good salad, by my definition of good, has other vegetables in it besides lettuce, and that lettuce isn’t iceberg. Your Definition May Vary and pretty obviously does.) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2025, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/57 "2025-07-11T19:48:13Z")
I was describing my own diet. I didn’t mean to imply it applied to anyone else. I rarely make salads at home. I’ve noticed restaurants use various types of lettuce in salads. It’s all good and tasty. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/58 "2025-07-11T23:33:30Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Or care about the flavor more than the texture in a particular use case. I quite like the flavor of iceberg. It’s mild, slightly sweet, slightly bitter, and tastes like leaves. I don’t really like salads that have lots of vegetables in them. I try to eat vegetables regularly, but i generally prefer just a few in any particular dish. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/59 "2025-07-12T00:05:24Z")
I prefer romaine lettuce and particularly like Caesar salads. ---
**Author:** ![TheBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@TheBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBryan)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2025, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588/60 "2025-07-12T00:11:01Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Your system does also need vitamins, flavonoids, and fiber. A good salad’s going to add a lot of those. (A good salad, by my definition of good, has other vegetables in it besides lettuce, and that lettuce isn’t iceberg. Your Definition May Vary and pretty obviously does.) I would consider iceberg lettuce to be the most important ingredient in a veggie salad. I can work with romaine, but I prefer to have iceberg with it. It’s all about mouthfeel. I went to a place a few weeks ago that served a salad with arugula with the primary ingredient. I couldn’t eat it. But arugula paired with iceberg is delectable. Same with spinach. I view salads the same way I view pasta. They are delivery vehicles for the healthy foods that I wouldn’t eat otherwise. The only things I can’t make taste good with iceberg or pasta are mushrooms, seafood, and black olives. That’s why I called the nutritional value of iceberg irrelevant earlier in this thread. I could eat iceberg lettuce forever and never fill up, so it’s all about what you add. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-iceberg-lettuce/1020588.md?page=4)